A Friendship Set on Fire
by Bookish Brownie
Summary: AU. Remus and Tonks experience a change in perspective during the summer before Half-Blood Prince. RL/NT. Discontinued for now.
1. Where There's a Will There's a Way

Love is friendship set on fire. – Jeremy Taylor

**Where There's a Will There's a Way**

Remus Lupin stood at the door of Nymphadora Tonks' flat and knocked.

"Wotcher, Remus." Her greeting was not as cheerful as usual and her skin was unnaturally pale, but she still seemed to be holding up under the circumstances. Her hair was a mousy brown color that he had only seen her wear a few times when she was particularly exhausted.

"Good morning, Nymphadora." His use of her name was rewarded with a scowl that he ignored. "How are you?"

"Fine." Her tone suggested that she had answered that question enough in the last few days to be getting on with. "I'm ready to go." She closed the door and set the wards before following him down the steps. They walked into a side alley.

"Do you reckon I should go pink for Harry?"

"If you're not too tired, I think some normality would reassure him."

She chuckled before adopting the focused, scrunched-up expression she had when morphing. "I never thought I'd hear my pink hair referred to as 'normality.'"

"I've always thought it suited you well." He realized he may have said too much, but she was obviously pleased by the compliment.

"Are you ready to Apparate?"

"Yeah, but it's really embarrassing to have to Side-Along like a bloody kid," she grumbled.

"You're recovering from a serious injury. Humor me." He tentatively wrapped his arm around hers, twining their fingers together, and felt the pulling sensations of Apparition. When they reached their meeting spot near King's Cross Station, he held on to her longer then was strictly necessary for her to be steady on her feet. There was a moment when she looked up at him and he almost thought… But he quickly pushed those notions away and released. He couldn't give into those un-friend-like ideas that had been growing in his mind for the past months.

Soon they were joined by Moody and the Weasleys, they all entered together to wait for Harry and the others. He seemed surprised to see them all when he disembarked. "Ron, Ginny!" cried Molly. "Oh, and Harry dear-how are you?"

"Fine," he said as his jaw clenched slightly. Harry answered in the same way that Tonks had in the hallway earlier and the same way he had replied to similar queries over the last few days. Which meant he wasn't fine at all.

"Hello, Harry."

"Hi, I didn't expect…what are you all doing here?"

"Well, we thought we might have a little chat with your aunt and uncle before letting them take you home," Remus replied with a slight smile and as much levity as he could muster.

When the rather motley group approached the Dursleys, they became flustered. Harry's uncle became rather red in the face while his wife looked at Tonks as if she would start foaming at the mouth at any moment. Remus, who felt slightly offended on her behalf, simply joined Moody and Arthur in admonishing Harry's relatives to treat him better than they had in the past. Finally, they all bade him farewell and watched him walk away with his angrily huffing family.

"I don't like it. Last summer Potter practically went spare waiting for news. And what with Black…He could do something reckless and get himself killed. Fine position we'd be in then."

"We have no choice, Alastor. Harry's blood protection needs to be renewed every year. I'm sure Dumbledore would have thought of a better solution if there were one."

"You're probably right. Well, we best not linger; we're easy targets." His eye began scanning the area quickly, and Remus sighed inwardly at the old Auror's paranoia. He then waved off the Weasleys and turned back to Remus and Tonks. Lowering his voice, he asked, "You two are going to clean out Headquarters and look for a will, correct?"

"Yes." The others had offered to do it because Remus and Tonks were the ones closest to Sirius, but they had volunteered because they undoubtedly knew the house the best of anyone.

He nodded curtly. "Just remember constant vigilance!" With a stiff wave that resembled a salute, he stalked off.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Absolutely. We wouldn't want to linger and be easy targets, now would we?" She rolled her eyes for emphasis, and Remus chuckled with her. He was amazed that he could still find something amusing despite the grief of the past week. And he was relieved to find that Tonks was returning to her old self.

"Shall we?" She nodded and smiled up at him as he tentatively rested his fingers on her arm to guide her to the Apparition point.

--

When they reached Grimmauld Place, Tonks stumbled slightly, but Remus clasped her arm more tightly to prevent her from falling. She had to admit that she was still tired from her injuries, but she didn't want anyone, least of all Remus, to perceive weakness in the way she carried herself. Not that her stumbling was a rare occurrence.

He looked down at her with some concern tingeing his expression. "You don't have to come in if you don't want to. It will be difficult and you're still recovering."

Within her, exasperation battled appreciation of the almost, dare she hope, tender way he was regarding her. "No, Remus. I'm fine." As another dubious frown crossed his face, she continued, "All right. I'm not _fine_, but I agreed to do this. I'm a professional and I keep my promises." She was somewhat surprised by her own vehemence.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply that you weren't up to the task. I just…I want you to be well." It seemed to Tonks that he meant to say something completely different but thought better of it. She let the thought go, though.

He moved forward and undid the wards that locked the door to Number Twelve. When he opened it, he gestured for her to go inside. She had begun to imagine that little gestures like that came from more than simple politeness, but she immediately focused on the situation at hand and assumed her battle stance.

None of the Order knew whether the house was safe or whether it had already passed into Bellatrix's hands. She was prepared for some sort of ambush or booby trap. However, as she advanced, nothing more sinister than the house's old relics tried to attack her or Remus. They silently agreed to scan the manor quickly for any unsavory activity before conducting a more thorough search. Upon finding nothing, they split up.

An hour later they met in the library. "Well, I think I removed all the sensitive documents from my rooms, but I had no luck finding a will." She shoved a sheaf of parchments into his hands. "Do you know if he even had one?"

He gave her a box of odd papers and devices. "I think I cleared away everything incriminating, also. And I'm almost sure he had one. He was wearing a rather worrying smirk when he mentioned it to me once, but then he said he was leaving everything to Harry. He was utterly sincere." Tonks noticed the far away and somewhat pained look in his eyes and felt a corresponding surge of emotion.

She missed her cousin dreadfully. She had only really known him for the past year aside from a few odd visits in her childhood that she barely remembered. But they had grown so close. She and Sirius and Remus had formed a unit of sorts. Grimmauld Place was not a location that would appeal to most twenty-two-year-olds, but over the months she had found herself drawn there with increasing frequency. She had come to anticipate those shared evenings of talk and laughter with great relish.

But they were gone now. True, Sirius had had his moods and they sometimes bickered like any family members but she loved him. She looked over at Remus, who seemed to be reliving the same memories. He looked up and met her gaze. For just a moment a crackle of raw emotion passed between them. They saw each other's deep sadness, nostalgia, and hope…

A strange thought struck her. It wasn't completely unfamiliar, but it was like a top that got lost in the back of her wardrobe. She would find it and look at it occasionally, but she had never actually tried it on. She realized that they could help each other. They understood each other, perhaps better than anyone.

At first she had come to Grimmauld to join the Order, to fight the unacknowledged darkness that was rising. She meant to do her duty as any self-respecting Auror would. But then she met Sirius again, and warm, sun-drenched childhood memories returned to her. She hadn't really known him then, but he was the only family besides her parents who didn't look at her with scorn, the freak offspring of a blood traitor and a Mudblood. And there was Remus. If she were really honest with herself, she would admit that, after the first few months, it was his presence that brought her to that grim old place night after night.

Tonks had never been a strong believer in fate or fixed destinies. Really, she couldn't be, being who and what she was, having change as an elemental part of her nature. But she couldn't deny that she had felt a spark of _something _when she had first met him and shaken his hand. A spark of familiarity almost, of knowing deep within her that she would connect with him. Even after a year of close friendship with him she couldn't properly describe the feeling; she just knew it was there.

She dragged herself back to the present as Remus was telling her that they should probably pack up and leave, lest someone unpleasant should arrive.

"Don't you think we should look a little more for the will?"

He sighed. "I'd have no idea where to begin. We've searched through the whole house and Sirius' few personal effects. Hestia, Sturgis and Dedalus are supposed to come by tomorrow to run through the house again; we can ask them."

Tonks couldn't think of a protest to that, so she simply shrugged. But she glanced around the room and something caught her eye. "Wait, Remus." She pulled on his sleeve as he was leaving. He turned and raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Did you check the desk?" She pointed to the object in question.

"Er…I didn't think of that." He grinned sheepishly and began waving his wand over the drawers. They searched through them, growing discouraged. But the last drawer yielded a small sheaf of parchments and two envelopes addressed to Moony and N. Tonks.

They glanced at the will, which seemed to be in order and just as Remus had said, before turning to their letters. "I wonder what these are for."

"There's only one way to find out," he said gamely, obviously expecting some final Marauder prank. They opened their envelopes simultaneously and began reading to themselves.

_Dear Cousin,_

_If you are reading this, then I have sadly perished. I hope I at least went down in the glory of battle. But there are a few things I'd like to say to you without the threat of a good hexing._

_First of all, _Nymphadora_._

_Nymphadora._

_Nymphadora._

She chuckled in spite of herself upon reading those lines. Her cousin had such cheek.

Now that I have that out of my system, I'd like to add that I regret that I didn't get to spend more time with you when you were growing up. I always loved your mum like a sister. I remember when you were born. I was so excited that there was another Black sheep (pun intended) in the family. I couldn't wait to meet you.

_You were a fun kid, and I feel lucky that I got to meet you again as an adult. I'll miss you and I'll keep looking out for you. Maybe I'll even see if I can blast that troll-leg umbrella stand. Anyway, I have a favor to ask. Could you please tell your mum the story of my innocence? I always wished that she would know that I didn't turn out like the rest of them._

_Well, forgive my bout of sentimentality; I was preparing for the worst. Now I get to the real point of this letter._

_I have one last wish, which you are bound to fulfill as my good friend and blood relative. I want you to go on a date with my old mate Moony._

Her mouth dropped open. Sirius had sometimes given her and Remus sly grins or offered teasing remarks when he had found them in a room alone together, innocently sipping tea or talking. But she had always thought he was simply stirring up trouble in his boredom. Did he really think that they should be together?

As you're reading this, I'm sure you're gaping like a fish, (she promptly clamped her lips shut at that) but don't play dumb. You fancy him and have done for months (maybe years at this point, for all I know). And you know it, too. I've seen how you blush when he helps you up from the floor or beam when he simply enters a room.

And if you think the feeling is not mutual, you're daft. You are an Auror after all, trained to be observant. You must have noticed how he looks at you when he thinks that no one's paying attention. Or how eager he is when you two have an Order assignment together. He fancies you; he maybe even started before you did. There's even another label I would venture for what he feels for you.

_And if he tries any of that I'm-unworthy-and-should-never-get-close-to-anyone crap, wallop him for me._

_With that, I bid you farewell and good luck on your adventure into the land of love._

_Cheers,_

_Sirius Orion Black_

She couldn't quite believe her eyes. She reread the scrawling cursive twice more. But the words did not change. She chanced a glance at Remus, whose brow was furrowed. It wasn't as if the thought of exploring a more-than-friends relationship with him had never occurred to her, but she couldn't imagine initiating the change now. They were so set in their comfortable friendship, and one of the last things she wanted to do was risk that.

But, still, she couldn't deny that Sirius' words had struck a chord. There had been times over the past months when she had fleetingly thought that that they might…But he always pulled away. She had to admit that she had pulled away once or twice herself, afraid that she was at the edge of a precipice and in great danger of falling head first. She didn't know whether soft cushions or jagged rocks would meet her at the bottom. However, Sirius had given her the perfect opportunity if she could gather enough courage.

Remus once again interrupted her musing. "Have you finished your letter?" She didn't know if it was just the swirl of her thoughts that made her imagine the tinge of anxiety in his smile or if he really was nervous about something.

"Yeah. What does yours say?"

"Oh…nothing interesting." The flush that ran up his neck belied his words.

"I'll read you mine if you read me yours."

He took a deep breath, preparing himself. "Well, all right." He definitely looked apprehensive now, but this boded well for her. Maybe he was finally ready to make a leap.

She offered to go first and heard his breathing quicken as she reached the end. She didn't dare look up for fear of his reaction, but he saved her by beginning his immediately.

"_Dear Moony,_

_If you are reading this, then I have sadly perished. I hope I at least went down in the glory of battle. But there are a few things I'd like to say to you without the threat of a good hexing._

How original," he commented dryly.

Continuing, he read, "_There are many final tidbits of wisdom I could leave you with, but I'll spare your blushes._" She had to chuckle at that as Remus heaved an exasperated sigh that barely disguised how much he missed his old friend's jokes.

"_First, I just want to say that I'm sorry I didn't trust you. I should have known that you of all people would never betray us. Also, although that traitor scum broke our trust, we were still brothers. We all loved you (even Wormtail in his own way, I'm sure), and it never mattered to us that you had a furry little problem. And it doesn't matter to her either._" Tonks heart leapt; she knew to whom he was referring. She tried to gauge what Remus was thinking, but he was staring determinedly at the paper in his hand.

He cleared his throat. "_Which brings me to the real point of this. My final wish is that you ask Tonks for a date._

_Now before you start with the too old-too poor-too dangerous bollocks, think for a moment. Has she ever given you any reason to believe that she dislikes you? The answer is no, no matter how you try and twist things to match your own insecurities._

_I'm sure you're thinking that it would be presumptuous to believe that she would ever feel more for you than friendship. But you're bloody wrong! You don't have to settle, Moony! You fancy her and she fancies you, so do something about it._

_And don't you dare try to tell me that it's a silly infatuation or simple attraction! I remember in January when Tonks had to go away for a few days on the trail of the escaped Death Eaters. I thought you would wear a hole in the bloody floor, and every time someone entered the Merlin-forsaken heap you would jump to check if it was her. And don't pretend you weren't touched when she left you hot cocoa and (horribly burnt) toast outside your door after every fool moon._

_In parting, accept the good thing that life has given you for once, Remus, and don't over think it. And, if my words have not knocked some sense into you, I'm sure my little cousin would be happy to do the honors._

_Cheers,_

_Sirius Orion Black_"

They looked at each other hesitantly. Everything they had felt over the past year was suddenly laid bare before them, and they had to face the consequences.

"Well, it seems Padfoot cannot help but meddle in our personal lives, even from the great beyond."

She chuckled wryly. "Er, I guess not." A silence stretched between them. It was uncomfortable, but not in a necessarily unpleasant way. Instead, the air was tingly with anticipation of some momentous shift.

"But I suppose…since they were his last wishes and all…Well, would you care to go to dinner with me?" Tonks' heart fluttered at the hope in his expression.

"Yeah. Sure." Her voice came out very small, but he apparently still heard her because a beaming smile broke across his features.

By unspoken consent, they chose not to discuss the specific content of the letters. They both knew the truth of Sirius' observations, and they were finally able to admit it, at least to themselves.

They gathered their findings and traveled to Dumbledore's office to give their report. "Good afternoon, Remus, Miss Tonks." Dumbledore looked pleased as Remus handed him the will and the other things that they had cleaned out. "Very good. We'll have to double check, but our headquarters do appear to be secure. Thank you both. Oh, and Remus, can you meet me here on Friday at ten o'clock?"

"Of course, Headmaster." Tonks saw that Remus had gone noticeably paler, but she couldn't imagine why.

"Excellent." His blue eyes twinkled from behind their spectacles. They both said their good byes and were soon near Hogsmeade.

"So, what night is good for you?"

She cast around in her mind for that week's schedule. "I have Thursday night off."

"That works for me. I'll pick you up at your flat around seven?" She nodded. "Are you feeling all right to Apparate by yourself?"

She rolled her eyes but tried to contain her irritation because she found no condescension in his eyes. "I'm fine, Remus, but thank you. I'll see you Thursday, if not before." She was about to Apparate when he took her hand and leant to lightly kiss her cheek. They smiled at each other. Much of his hesitation and self-doubt had seemed to melt away as soon as he realized that she really was looking forward to their date.

"Good bye, Nymphadora."

"Bye, Remus. And don't call me that!" When she unlocked the door to her flat, she immediately collapsed on her sofa. She really was tired. But she sighed happily and sank into pleasant dreams of new possibilities.

--

A/N: Some of the dialogue is from chapter 38 of OOTP. I hope you enjoyed that. It's the beginning of a fic, which will span HBP and DH, that I have been planning for several months now. It will be AU in several important respects, but I'm trying to stick as closely as possible to canon in most cases. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated.

For my first review bribe, I offer a Remus to kiss your cheek.


	2. Two Dates with Destiny

**Two Dates with Destiny**

Remus Lupin was acting like a teenager.

It was Thursday at 6:30. He had already put on his least faded blue shirt and least patched pair of trousers. Now he was looking in the mirror, hoping his hair would magically un-gray somehow. Meanwhile, his palms were sweating and he felt nervous energy run through him.

He still couldn't quite believe that he was going out with Nymphadora Tonks. She was his good friend, and he liked and admired her very much. But he never thought that someone like her would consent to go to dinner with him.

The longer he looked in the mirror the more self-deprecating notions rose in his mind. The rumors of more new anti-werewolf legislation did not help his mood. He rarely wished violence on anyone, Dolores Umbridge sorely tried all his patience and compassion. Hadn't she already done enough?

There was also the matter of the meeting with Dumbledore the next morning. He was almost certain what he would ask. The room felt instantly colder.

However, he suppressed such negative thoughts. Apparently (though he still couldn't quite believe it), Tonks didn't care about any of that. They were friends and colleagues after all. The worst she could do would be to politely refuse a second date. His old friend could still not convince him that his doubts were unfounded, but he would at least enjoy the evening and trust in the fact that he and Tonks were hardly ever awkward around each other.

Finally, he looked at his watch and Apparated to her flat, knocking lightly on the door.

--

Inside the flat, Tonks called out, "Just a minute!" She hoped that he wouldn't catch the slight note of panic in her voice.

She was not ready. She was dressed, but not satisfied and was about to change for the third time. And, worst of all, her hair was still in its natural mouse brown. She regarded herself in the mirror, thinking that her denim skirt looked oddly appropriate with her work boots after all and settling on her habitual pink spikes for her hair.

"Wotcher, Remus! Sorry to keep you, but a girl's got to primp." She fluttered her eyelashes at him for good measure.

"I would never want to deny you that opportunity." He grinned. "In fact, I could come back in a few hours if you'd like."

"Git." Her exasperated huff was somewhat undermined by her barely suppressed snort. "I'm ready." She grabbed a cloak and shut the door behind her.

As they walked down the hall and descended, she darted her eyes toward him. He looked handsome, she thought, and the blue of his shirt played off well against his skin tone. Truth be told, he was rather ordinary looking. He was thin and peaky, slightly on the tall side, but not overly so. He was lined and prematurely gray. Several pale scars were just visible above his collar. But as she had come to know him, and with him smiling sheepishly down at her, she thought he appealed to her quite nicely.

Once they were outside in the strangely cool and clammy summer air, she asked, "So, are we going to Apparate?"

"Actually, I thought we might walk. I hope you don't mind somewhere Muggle." He looked so self-conscious and hopeful that she was desperate to reassure him.

"Course not. I haven't been to a Muggle place in a few years. Lead on." Just to make her approval extra clear, she slipped her hand into his.

They strolled along slowly and silence descended upon them. It was not the sort of comfortable silence that usually enveloped them. It was surprisingly awkward, and she cast about frantically for something- anything- to say. She doubted that her situation was helped by the increasing fog that did not seem entirely natural.

"I think Umbridge should be given back to the Centaurs, don't you?" His half-smile suddenly became frozen. _Bloody brilliant, Tonks; remind him of the Werewolf Thing. _"Hasn't she already done enough?"

His lips quirked upwards slightly, and she couldn't fathom why. "I'll confess the rumors of these new laws are onerous, but they haven't been passed yet."

"And they shouldn't be! Honestly! She already makes it impossible for you to get a job; she doesn't need to add a prohibition against property holding to the list."

He smiled that resigned smile of his that always made her want to hex all the people that had slapped him down over the years. "I appreciate the sentiment, Nymphadora, but it's not even a law yet. And people are not in the mood to hear about werewolf rights these days."

"I guess so." She wanted to protest, to think of some dazzling argument to win him over, but there were none.

She was saved from having to change the subject by Remus ushering her through a rather small nondescript door.

"What would you like to eat?"

"What do they have?" She strongly suspected that the quality would be questionable, but she wasn't about to say anything to that effect.

"A very limited selection. Since most of the people who come here have been around for years, they don't bother with posting a menu. I recommend the fish and chips, though."

"Would you trust anything else at your average pub?"

"The bangers and mash are passable." They each ended up ordering the fish and chips and a pint. She began to scan the empty spots for a place to sit.

"Pick a seat anywhere." She moved toward two open stools at the bar, but he gently pulled her back. "I should have qualified. Pick a seat anywhere that the regulars haven't long claimed. I'd hate for you to get in a bar fight on our first date." He surreptitiously pointed toward two grizzled older men who were lumbering toward the counter.

She grinned and put up her fists. "You don't think I could take them?" One brow arched challengingly.

"I was of course referring to the damage you could inflict on those poor blokes who might unwittingly dare to pick a fight with an Auror."

"Nice save, Remus." She gestured to an open table in the back that met with his approval. He pulled her chair out for her and pushed it in once she was seated. Much as Tonks was skeptical of the value of many chivalrous gestures, which she saw as relics of a bygone era when women were considered helpless innocents who needed protecting, she thought she could get used to his consideration.

"So, what do you think?" He was wearing that damned hopeful expression again. If she were completely honest, Tonks would say that the pub had obviously seen better days. The dark wood of the tables was pitted and often stained, and the walls could use a fresh coat of paint. But there was a certain charm to the hazy atmosphere and dim lighting.

And, initial awkwardness aside, in her mind the date was going very well. They were falling easily into their accustomed banter, and she didn't want to spoil the night so early. "It's nice. It seems like a place that all the Marauders would like." _So much for not spoiling the night; remind him that he's the last one really._

However, when she dared look up from studying the grain of the wood, he was smiling fondly and reminiscently. "Yes, we used to come here all the time during the first war. It was nice to escape from the cares of the Wizarding world every once in a while, to see people who lived without constant fear." His smile became more regretful than nostalgic. "Sirius and I even snuck in here one night last spring. It was reckless of course, but it felt like closure."

"I'm glad you both had that chance." She meant for far more than just a night of drinking. She couldn't imagine losing all her loved ones in one night and then regaining one after more than a decade.

For a moment, she almost thought he seemed misty eyed, but the look passed as quickly as it had come. "As am I. But Sirius would be greatly disappointed if we passed the whole of our first date moping over him."

As usual, she admired how he knew exactly what to say to lighten the mood, and she chuckled gratefully with him. "I'm sure he would. He'd much rather that we only speak in hushed awe of his genius and charm."

"Undoubtedly." Soon a server brought their food and drinks, and they fell into a much easier silence than earlier.

Eventually, she broke it. "So, do you ever go swimming?" She realized, even as the words were coming out of her mouth, that her question was a ridiculous non-sequitur, but she wanted to say _something_.

His agreement on the matter was shown in a dangerously high quirked brow. "Do I ever go swimming?" he echoed her in a half amused, half bewildered way.

She felt herself redden slightly. "Er, yeah." _Oh, brilliant Tonks, really brilliant_. Her assessment of the date was rapidly going downhill.

"You know, now that you ask, I'm not sure when the last time was. I do remember that the Prefects' bathtub was large enough to swim in. Sirius, James, Peter, and I went a few times immediately after Hogwarts.But I don't think I've really gone since, a couple of times over the years. You?"

She was both bemused and surprised when he looked genuinely interested. "Not really. I don't really know where that came from, actually. It just popped into my head." He chuckled, but not derisively. She supposed he was used to random questions from her at times.

"What's your favorite food?"

"What…oh." She knew what he was trying to do and felt grateful that he always tried to ease her embarrassment after such bumbling. "I don't know. My mum's treacle tart, I guess." She looked to him for his response.

"I think I would have to say mine is chocolate."

She smirked. "I never would have guessed."

Some time later, after more inane questions, they stood and exited into the deepening night. Remus took her hand and twined their fingers together as they began to walk toward Tonks' flat. A pleasant sense of anticipation stole over her.

They reached her flat about twenty minutes later. The date had gone as well as she would have wished, and she thought that Remus had enjoyed himself, too. She very much wanted to do it again in the near future, but she wondered if he felt the same. Sirius' letters had only stipulated that go on _one _date; they said nothing about starting a relationship. Would he pull away? Would he not desire to risk their friendship and working partnership?

Such thoughts were pushed from her mind when she realized that she was staring at him. "Er, I had a really nice time tonight, Remus. Thank you for taking me out."

"It was my pleasure, Nymphadora."

She scowled at him, as was her wont, but she couldn't really muster the mock-annoyance to make her glare convincing. Instead, they just looked at each other for a few long moments. She began to think that he would bid her farewell and walk away, but he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers.

He looked up and they grinned at each other. Holding her chin gently with his fingers, he pressed another soft, lingering kiss to her mouth. Then, he looked down at his watch regretfully. "I really should go. Good night."

"Sweet dreams, Remus." He gave a slight wave and Disapparated. She knew she would have them.

--

Remus knocked lightly on the Headmaster's door, preparing for the worst.

"Come in."

"Good morning, Headmaster."

"Welcome, thank you for coming, Remus. And, as I have told you before, you may call me Albus." He balked at the idea of addressing a man whom he admired so much, to whom he owed everything, by his first name, but he simply nodded. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled kindly at him behind his half-moon spectacles.

"You are probably wondering why I called you here today. Well, I have several matters that I wish to discuss with you. The first is a matter of grave importance for the entire Order of the Phoenix and the second concerns a task to which you are uniquely suited." Remus' heart sank. He had his suspicions about that task. And they were no less than the most terrible fears from his childhood.

"Well, I'm more than willing to anything that the Order requires of me."

The older man smiled genially. "I'm glad to hear that. Now, as you know, Sirius' will has declared Harry his heir; however, we must ascertain that the will is valid before returning to Grimmauld Place. In the mean time, we need another temporary headquarters."

He frowned. "I thought the Burrow was serving in that capacity."

"It is, but I do not wish to impose on Molly and Arthur more than is necessary."

"I understand, but I don't know how I can help."

"You have a property in Wales, do you not?" He nodded uneasily. "I was hoping that you would sell it to the Order." His fears about a mission were seemingly coming true. He wouldn't need his house much longer.

"I would, sir, but my home isn't very large." It had also been in his family for generations, and he was loath to part with it. Although he supposed that if there were a significant chance that he would not be returning, it wouldn't really matter. It would certainly be better than the Ministry confiscating it if that new law went through.

"I think it will be perfectly adequate."

"Then, of course."

Dumbledore smiled more widely. "Very good. Even if Number Twelve does pass into Harry's hands, I feel that it is necessary in these ever darkening times to have a second safe house. Now, it will be in Dedalus Diggle's name, and I trust that you will be comfortable with his being made the Secret-Keeper?" He nodded. Despite his violet headgear and excitability, Diggle was steadfastly loyal and committed to the cause. "I think 15,000 galleons should be a fair a price."

Remus blinked rather unbecomingly. That was for more than he ever thought his family home was worth that much. "That's a very generous offer…Albus, but I don't think my cottage really merits that much."

"Think nothing of it, Remus. It's a good market price." He suddenly realized that Dumbledore was only offering so much as a pretext for supporting him. The thought rankled and he almost refused, but he realized his mentor had already won.

"I will be removing Harry from the Dursleys next week. I'm sure we won't require the use of the house before then. We can put extra protective spells and the Fidelius Charm on it in the meantime. And, of course, we won't expect you to leave." That was curious. He was sure that his next request would be for him to leave to join the worst of his kind.

"The second matter of business is even more vital to the war effort. You have studied defenses against much old and esoteric dark magic, correct?" He simply nodded again. "Have you ever come across mention of Horcruxes?"

The word sounded familiar, gleaned from several ancient tomes that contained only the most hideous of evil spells and potions. "They're objects, special objects, that the owner has imbued with some part of him or herself if I remember correctly."

"Yes, in essence. Theoretically, any object can be made into a Horcrux, but the magic is more effective if they have some significance to the creator. Only the most desperate wizards would ever consider attempting it. It is not only very complex and dangerous, but it also requires a life taken for each Horcrux. The caster's soul is then split, and some of it becomes contained in the object."

Remus felt an involuntary shudder run down his spine. "What is the purpose?" He had an idea, and also how it was connected to the war, but it was a little too horrible too fathom.

"The wizard who successfully creates a Horcrux cannot die." The last two words sank slowly through the air like leaden weights, bringing everything down with them. "As I believe you have guessed, the reason that this subject is of utmost importance is that Lord Voldemort has used this magic."

"So his soul is split in two and that was why the rebounding of the Killing Curse did not destroy him fifteen years ago?"

"Oh, no." Remus felt wrong-footed. _Then what was the point of this conversation? _"He has created six Horcruxes, and, therefore, his soul is split into seven parts." The situation was even worse than he had thought.

"What are we to do?"

"That was where I was hoping you could help, Remus. I'd like you to look into Voldemort's movements over the past years. I have my suspicions about certain events, but we need more information."

So, he wasn't being sent away! He could scarcely believe his ears. "Of course. I'll do whatever I can. But, Albus, may I ask you something?"

"I daresay you'll find you can." His wise blue eyes twinkled fiercely, and Remus felt, not for the first time, that Dumbledore was reading his mind.

"Why aren't you sending me to infiltrate Greyback's pack? There have been terrible rumors of what they might be plotting."

"Ah. I did think about it, Remus, but I believe that this task is more important. Because if Voldemort falls, Fenrir Greyback will be discredited, and the others will find much less reason to rally around him." Relief suffused him. He could remain a part of the society for which he had lost so much and fought so determinedly.

"Now, I have some books and notes that would be helpful to you. Can you pick them up and start working on Monday?"

"Of course, Albus."

"Excellent. I have absolute faith in your prudence, Remus, but I must stress that you discuss this topic with no one. It would be disastrous if Voldemort discovered that we know about his Horcruxes."

"I understand."

"Well, I won't take up any more of your time. Have a good weekend, and I'll see you again on Monday."

"Good bye." As he exited the circular room and down the spiral staircase, he could barely wrap his mind around everything Dumbledore had told him. The mystery of the Horcruxes did answer many questions about Voldemort's survival, but it raised so many more. And he was the one who had to solve the riddles.

However, he did have one very important, yet selfish, reason to be grateful for Dumbledore's decision. He would be able to allow whatever new thing he had with Nymphadora to develop. A smile crept across his face as he strolled down the corridor on his way to the Owlery, with his hands casually resting in his pockets, to deliver a little note.

--

A/N: Let the AU-ness begin! I hope this change from canon doesn't throw too many people off, but I always felt sorry for Remus and thought researching Voldemort and Horcruxes would be a plausible alternate assignment that Dumbledore could have given him. Also, I used the wizarding money converter on the HP Lexicon to determine the worth of Remus' house. I estimated it would be about 150,000 dollars, which according to the Lexicon is about 75,000 pounds and 15,000 galleons.

My review bribe for this chapter is a date with Remus (or Tonks, if you like).


	3. Something New

Something New

Instead of the nerves he had felt the previous week, Remus felt absolutely ebullient. He still had not recovered from his shock that Dumbledore was not asking him to join the ferals. He thought he could face anything other than that.

Besides, he hadn't seen Dora for almost a week. The previous Friday they had agreed to meet on Wednesday, but she had been extremely busy since then. She and Kingsley had both told him that they were still facing fallout from the battle at the Ministry. His mind clouded at the thought, but he refused to indulge in the dwelling on the past that he was used to.

Instead, he felt he ought to follow Tonks' example and look to the future. At least as far as the next few hours.

When he reached her flat, he knocked firmly. "I need to ask you a security question. Moody would hex me to oblivion if he ever found out that I forgot last week." Her voice took on a decidedly impish cast. "Now, what did you say to me last Halloween?"

If anything could dampen his mood, that was it. He felt the beginnings of a flush creep up his neck. "Please, Nymphadora, anything but that. I was very drunk if you remember."

"Oh, I remember, but you're not helping your case by calling me that."

"If I promise not to say your name for the rest of the night, will you pick a different question?" he asked without any real hope.

She chuckled. "No. It wasn't that horrible."

"Oh, yes it was. In fact, I'm considering leaving instead of saying those words again." He knew he would give in eventually, but it really was unfair of her to make him relive one of his most mortifying memories in several years.

"Oh, come on. It is a good question for me to make sure it's really you." He could just see her pouted lips and dancing eyes in his mind.

"Fine, I said, 'It's been a long time since a woman's taken me to bed.'" Her laugh rang out as she opened the door. He cringed theatrically for her, recalling how she had practically carried him to his room after he and Sirius had spent too much time consuming firewhiskey and reminiscing about the past. "And I know it's you because you're the only one who could give the Marauders a run for their money." He glared at her, but he couldn't really be put off with her for long.

"Was that a compliment?"

"Grudgingly."

"Are you put out enough with me to leave?" She smiled charmingly, already knowing the answer.

"No. Shall we?" He offered her his arm. They began walking down the rickety steps that led to her flat.

"Where are we going this time?"

"Since I planned last time, I thought I would let you pick whichever kind of take-away you wanted?" He suddenly had second thoughts about his idea, but he thought she wouldn't mind.

To his chagrin she scrunched up her face questioningly. "Why take-away?" Obviously his face gave away more than he thought because she added hastily, "Not that I have a problem with that."

"I'll tell you when we have our food."

She decided on Indian food. He was going to pick the curry labeled moderate, but she convinced him to get the hot one along with her. "All right, where are we going?" He loved to see her like this, all lit up with youthful enthusiasm.

He still felt a little sheepish and looked at her through his fringe. "I thought we could go to a Muggle park and people watch."

"Ooh, that sounds like fun." They Apparated and picked a bench that was close enough to the center to have a fair number of people milling about, but far enough away to have some privacy.

"My mates and I used to come to places like this and make up stories about the people we saw. Care to try?"

"I'm game if you are. Pick one."

She pointed to a middle-aged woman in an outfit reminiscent of Sybil Trelawney. "I think she's an ex hippie."

"I imagine that she used to live in a commune." She sniggered at him.

"They raised ducks and pigs."

"Why ducks and pigs?"

"I don't know. I never said the stories had to make sense."

"Fair enough. Then she came all the way to England because she ran afoul of the law. She didn't have the proper permits."

They continued with the game for some time. They catalogued a number of other passers-by and laughed until their sides ached.

They were still chuckling when they finally decided to call it a night and reached the door of her flat, but their mirth abated quickly. She looked up at him expectantly, and he was happy to oblige. He leaned down and kissed her. He meant to pull away after a few moments, but she seemed in hurry for his lips to leave hers. So, he deepened the kiss.

And the feeling was… Any number of romantic cliches leapt to the front of his mind. Heavenly? Magical? Mind-blowing? None of them seemed to fit, however. The cool, rational part of him was saying rather emphatically that the sensations he was experiencing were due to the length of time that had elapsed since the last time he had really kissed a woman. But another part, which he often tried to keep firmly under control, whispered that this didn't feel at all like the other times he had kissed women, that there was something wholly new in the tingling warmth that spread through him…

He swept the thought aside, but it lingered in the corners of his consciousness like the traces of a sweet perfume in the air. Returning to the matter at hand, he continued enjoying the gentle warmth of her mouth on his. He slowly pulled away to look at her. "Are you sure it's been a long time since you've done that?" she asked rather shyly.

"Quite sure." They stood looking at each other, unsure what to do next.

He was in danger of grinning like an idiot, but Tonks' yawn saved him. "Well, I have an early shift tomorrow. Good night, Remus."

"Good night." As she was undoing the wards, he impulsively took her hand and kissed the back of it lingeringly. He felt a little ridiculous, but she wore a pleased expression, smiling prettily at him before closing the door.

He disapparated, still feeling a bubble of cheer well up within him as he climbed into bed.

888888888888888888

Two nights later was the first Order meeting since they had begun dating. Tonks stood across the street from Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. She felt unaccountably nervous. All she could think of was the fact that the memory of Remus' kiss still remained on her lips.

She mentally shook herself. She was a professional. It might be a bit awkward at first, but she had known him for a year. She could still be his colleague and friend, as well as something more.

Finally, she entered just as Remus was coming down the stairs, presumably from the library. "Wotcher."

"Hello." The slow smile that she suspected was only for her broke across his face. "How have you been?"

"Fine. You?"

"The same."

As happened so often with her, she felt the need to say _something_, but that urge usually ended with some sort of inane drivel coming out of her mouth. He relieved her. "You're early."

"Yeah, Dawlish let me out on time for once."

"Molly will be pleased. She's cooking dinner and was lamenting to me earlier about how thin you are." He smiled fondly at the older woman's mothering. She groaned; she already had one mother who was constantly dissatisfied her.

"If she keeps feeding me as if I'm too thin, I'll weigh 300 pounds." Silence fell between them, and she was struck by the fact that _something_ wasn't right between them. She didn't have to dwell because the red-haired Weasley matriarch called them rather insistently.

The meal was lovely as usual, with steak and kidney pie, potatoes, and broccoli, paired with the most amazing treacle tart that she'd ever sampled, even better than her mother's.But, as soon as Dumbledore swept in with a flourish, his hands held within his sleeves, the cheerful buzz small talk faded away to be replaced with a business-like silence.

"Welcome, everyone. Your avidcommitment continues to hearten me in these increasingly dark times." He drew out his wand from within his robes, and people nervously glanced around at each other.The only one who didn't seem surprised by the injury was Severus Snape, although he did look at the withered hand distastefully. Dumbledore merely smiled slightly. "I had a little mishap with a spell; it's noting to be worried about."

Tonks didn't believe him for a moment, but she supposed a dead hand was the Headmaster's own business. She looked at Remus, who had concern written only in his eyes before pointedly fixing her gaze pointedly on Dumbledore's face.

The rest of the meeting proceeded without incident. Their leader concluded by wishing them well and smiling reassuringly. The Order dispersed without their usual gossip and nightcaps.

After only about ten minutes, Remus and Tonks were the last ones left inside. She toyed with the end of her sleeve, hoping he would ask her out again, that he hadn't begun to change his mind. She peeked up at him, and he seemed to be sharing her uncertainty about their situation.

Though her stomach flipped as she remembered how he hadn't seemed at all uncertain the other night. Her nerves got the best of her again. "I've never done this before." _Oh, Merlin! _He raised an eyebrow in question. "I haven't dated a colleague before."

"Ah. Neither have I." They simply looked at each other for a long moment. He seemed as if he was going to offer to return to being friends, but she didn't give him the chance.

"But we can play it by ear, yeah?" She entwined his fingers through his for good measure.

"Yes, that sounds perfectly acceptable." He leaned toward her and closed the gap between them, kissing her softly. "In that case, are you free tomorrow?"

Truth be told, she was somewhat surprised and flattered that he seemed so eager. But, at the same time, she didn't want to wear out her welcome. Unfortunately, he took her pause as reluctance. "I mean we don't-"

She cut him off quickly. "Yes, I'm free; I just don't want you to get sick of me."

He considered her skeptically. "I don't really think that's possible, Tonks." His ensuing kiss did seem to suggest that.

"I'll keep that in mind. Good night, Remus."

"Good night, Nymphadora."

As she was leaving, she turned and smirked at him over her shoulder. "Just for that, I'll have to come up with another _illuminating _security question for tomorrow."

--

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for the long delay between updates. I've been busy, but I'll try to be quicker in the future.

My review bribe is a kiss from our favorite werewolf or metamorphmagus.


	4. Doubt and Delight

"Honestly, Molly, I'm fine." Tonks sighed inwardly.

"Nonsense, dear, have a few more biscuits." She complied, knowing that it would be worse for her if she put up a fight. If there was one thing mothers knew how to do, it was guilt trip you into doing what they wanted. She just nibbled absently, and looked toward the sliver of sky that was visible through the Burrow's kitchen window.

It was the second full moon night since she and Remus had started exploring a more-than-friends relationship. She didn't want to pry into that part of his life too soon. She knew he didn't want her involved, but it didn't stop her from fretting.

"Now, tell me what's on your mind."

She decided to try the evasive tack, even knowing it probably wouldn't be very helpful. "Oh, this and that. The atmosphere at the Ministry is getting worse. I've learned that I may have to be stationed at Hogwarts. By the way, I saw that Arthur's been promoted. Congratulations. No one deserves it more than he does."

Her face fairly glowed. "Thank you." But then she delivered her patented Don't-think-I-don't-see-those-Extendable-Ears-Fred-and-George look. "But you still haven't told me what's bothering you."

"No, I haven't." She decided to simply give in. "It's Remus."

"Ah, it's the full moon tonight, isn't it?"

"Yeah, and it's only the second one since Sirius died. And he won't talk to me about it." She froze, aware of how she sounded, aware of the blush blooming on her face. She twirled a piece of her hair, which was her customary pink that she was chagrined to note had gone a little brown at the tips.

However, Molly's smile was understanding. "I'm sorry, dear. But has he ever spoken to you about it before?"

"Well, no, not a lot, but since we've-" She broke off. She and Remus weren't explicitly hiding their relationship, but they didn't need everybody's noses in their business.

"Since you've started dating, you'd thought that he would open up more." Tonks gaped at her. The older woman beamed. "Honestly, Tonks, it's quite obvious."

"Oh." The sound didn't go nearly far enough to cover her embarrassment. She had _tried _to be subtle.

"I'm extremely happy for both of you." Tonks half expected her to hold forth on dresses, china and table arrangements for a Christmas wedding, but that was not the case. "How long has it been?"

She couldn't hold back the sheepish grin that lifted the corners of her mouth. "A little more than a month." She felt her face fall just a little. "I only hope that he knows he can tell me things. It won't change how I feel."

"He'll realize that. It may take time, even a long time, but he will."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Molly."

"I know what you're feeling, Tonks." Empathetic as Molly was, Tonks doubted it. "Arthur had some doubts at the beginning of our relationship. He was always worried about the money and my family." In the back of her mind, she recognized that of course Molly and Arthur hadn't always been married, but it was still an odd thought.

"Oh. I didn't know that."

"Yes." She was wearing a rather wistful. "But he realized soon enough that I only wanted him. I'm sure Remus will be the same." Tonks knew that her relationship with Remus wasn't the same, but she felt buoyed anyway.

Then, they heard three knocks at the kitchen door. Tonks' hand automatically went to her wand, but she calmed herself; it was probably only Arthur. Molly's voice trembled, though, as she demanded, "Who's there? Declare yourself!"

"It is I, Dumbledore, bringing Harry."

She saw the older woman visibly relax as she opened the door. "Harry, dear! Gracious, Albus, you gave me a fright, you said not to expect you before morning."

She still gave an instinctive wince every time she saw the Headmaster's withered hand. "We were lucky." He and Harry entered the Burrow. "Slughorn proved much more than I had expected. Harry's doing, of course. Ah, hello, Nymphadora!"

She smiled at both of them. "Hello, Professor. Wotcher, Harry." It was good to see Harry again. He looked pale and a little thinner than he had been when she'd seen him at King's Cross. But that was understandable. She wished she could tell him how she missed Sirius and at least partly felt his loss. However, she knew she was bound to botch such a conversation, and she really didn't know him well enough to get involved.

She was at a loss as to what to say to him even by way of innocent small talk. Plus, she didn't really like the knowing way Dumbledore was looking at her. She chastised herself for growing as paranoid as Mad-Eye. But she didn't think she was _entirely _imagining things.

The scene was growing more uncomfortable by the minute as Molly bustled around trying to make everyone more tea and Tonks simply sat at the table. She decided she ought to just try to get a little sleep before her shift the next morning. "I'd better be off. Thanks for the tea and sympathy, Molly. Good night, everyone."

She exited the kitchen and promptly Apparated to her flat.

----

Remus was to the point where he felt only anticipation before his third date with Tonks, a little over a month after their first. However, there was one problem that he had to face. The funds that Dumbledore had given him, ostensibly for his house, would have to last indefinitely. Modest as their dates had been so far, they couldn't continue if he did not find some way of making more money. Perhaps he could find a Muggle part-time job…

But he ruled that thought out even as it struck him. He had to devote all his time to the Order. Dumbledore was relying on him, and he couldn't let him down again. A few weeks ago, he had brought over all the books and some notes that Remus would need for researching Horcruxes and Voldemort's movements. Remus had been spending almost every spare moment poring through, with the notable exception of his second date with Tonks. His prospects for finding anything useful were looking rather unlikely at the moment.

He shook his head and stifled such negative thoughts as he knocked on Tonks' door and answered her security question.

"Wotcher." She smiled up at him expectantly. He leant down and kissed her softly.

"Good evening. Ready?" She nodded, closing the door and performing various charms on it. She linked one of her hands with his as they made their way down the steps and out into the back alley. "I hope you don't mind going Muggle again?"

"Course not. It's fun to get away from the Wizarding world sometimes." Her earnest tones let him believe that she was really satisfied. He was grateful for that, although doubt that he could truly continue to make her happy niggled at the back of his mind.

He Apparated them to another pub that he knew from the days of the First War. It was in about the same condition as the one he had taken her to on their first date, but he did think that the interior was slightly more cheerful.

Once they were seated and had placed their orders, he asked, "So, how was work today?"

She shrugged noncommittally. "Fine. Long. Even though the Ministry's finally admitted that Voldemort's back, they're still not working as efficiently as they might. At least they're not uselessly chasing Sirius anymore." She winced and her face instantly went bright red. Her eyes became huge, horrified disks as she started to apologize. "I'm sorry. I didn't-"

He took her hand across the table in order to try to soothe some of her sense of committing a faux-pas. "Don't worry about it." They had only spoken about Sirius occasionally since June, but he needed her to know that the subject wasn't forbidden. It might help both of them to talk about him sometimes.

They lapsed into a short silence and their food arrived.

"Anyway, how was your day?" He wished that she could ask about his work, but it was no good to dwell.

"Productive. I did some research."

"The top-secret research that only you and Dumbledore can know about?" He could only muster a tight smile in response, and she frowned. Damn. He didn't want her to think that she had offended him.

And he wanted to tell her. When Dumbledore had told the others about his research during a meeting, she had teased him afterward and said surely he could tell her. He'd said no, that Dumbledore had sworn him to absolute secrecy. She never asked after that, and he was grateful. But he always felt as if he had answered her too harshly.

He forced himself to give her a proper smile. "Sorry."

"S'alright. Adds a bit of mystery." They began their usual bantering as they finished their meals.

He noticed that she was biting her lower lip as he drew the wallet that kept especially for when went into the Muggle world. She looked as if she was about to say something but abruptly closed lips tightly. "Is something the matter?"

"Well…" Her eyes gleamed with hesitation. "I was just…I was going to offer to pay."

"Oh." Remus thought his stomach might have sunk all the way to his toes. "That's not necessary."

"It would be no trouble. You paid for the first two. And it is almost the twenty-first century." She was finding her voice, and he realized they were in for a long argument (also their first as a couple). His sensible side saw her point. She was an Auror and was paid a good salary; she wasn't offering out of pity. But his pride flared up against the very idea. He had so little to offer her as it was; he could at least pay for dinner.

"Come on, Remus. I'm not trying to take away your manly pride." It was if her dark eyes could read the thoughts written in his lighter brown ones. "I only want to do my part. Maybe we can alternate or something."

"I…" He was going to argue, but he knew that she would most probably win in the end. And protesting would only make her feel guilty. He could make it up to her by giving her a nicer Christmas or birthday present. "Okay. Wait, you have Muggle money on you?"

She grinned. "Yeah. Aurors are always supposed to carry some, just in case." They stood and she paid at the bar. As they walked into the warm night, he saw that her face unaccountably bore marks of nervousness and guardedness.

----

"Er, would you like to come in for a bit?" Standing in front of the door to her flat, she twirled her wand in her fingers.

"All right." Part of her had hoped that he would say no because her flat was really in no state to be seen by company. But she ushered him in anyway. "Sorry about the mess."

"This is messy?" She looked around at the piles of mail on her kitchen table. Her gaze then wandered to her half-made bed and the clothes lying on top of it that could be seen through the slightly open door. Various dishes littered the sink.

"Isn't it?"

"Not compared to my place. In fact, this is pristine." She thought her eyebrow probably couldn't go much higher up her forehead. "I solemnly swear I'm not taking the mickey."

"And here I was thinking you'd be appalled that you're dating such a slob."

"Certainly not. A little clutter never hurt anyone. I find your completely clear floors particularly impressive." She was surprised to find look that seemed a little like genuine wonderment on his face.

"I learned a long time ago that I fall a lot less often if I don't leave anything lying around to trip over."

"Ah. That makes sense." She fidgeted with her wand some more. Remus had been in her flat once or twice before, but this was his first visit since they had started dating.

She could at least remember the basic rules of hostessing. "Um, would you like a butterbeer?"

"Yes, thank you." She rummaged through her cupboards as Remus sat on her sofa. She held the two recovered bottles tightly, carefully maneuvering herself to sit beside him. "Congratulations on your successful crossing."

"Git." His impish grin really did make it very difficult for her to be annoyed with him, but she could at least pretend.

"Guilty as charged." She rolled her eyes as they each sipped their drinks appreciatively. She brought her legs up underneath her and rested against the cushions more fully. She turned slightly to look at him. She liked to see him so relaxed.

Then, he shifted to mirror her position. Smiling at her in a way that made her breath catch, he tilted his head toward hers and kissed her soundly. As his lips moved over hers, she felt that maybe the romance novels she occasionally stole from her motherweren't so ridiculous as she used to think they were. Floating and soaring certainly seemed to be apt descriptions of the sensations running riot through her.

Wanting to feel more, she deepened the kiss. Meanwhile, Remus began gently kneading the skin at the base of her neck, sending delightful shivers up and down her spine. They spent some minutes thus engaged.

When they pulled apart, she had to fight off a dopey grin. "Well."

He rested his forehead against hers. "Well." They smiled at their mutual lack of eloquence. Apparently, they also mutually decided some things were better expressed through lips moving in time together than through words.

Eventually, they broke away from each other again. They resumed drinking. She was relieved that they still had the chance to do this and that she hadn't put him completely off her by insisting on paying tonight. She knew that she sometimes had to walk a delicate line in this relationship. She knew him well and she didn't have to tiptoe around him, but she knew equally well that his poverty bothered him in a way that it never disturbed her.

After finishing their butterbeers and several more long kisses, Remus drew back and kissed her cheek, telling her that he should probably. They both stood and she walked with him the short distance to her door. His lips touched hers lingeringly once more. "Good night. I'll probably see you the day after tomorrow at the meeting."

"Bye." She peeked through a slit in her door and watched him walk away. She didn't even try to suppress the dopey grin that she had earlier.

A/N: Some of the dialogue in the first section is taken directly from HBP p. 81-82 (US hardcover edition). My review bribe for this chapter is a date in a Muggle pub with Remus (or Tonks).


	5. Straight is the Line of Duty

Remus sighed. He looked out the window at the sweeping green landscape around him, but it didn't lighten his mood. He was poring over ancient books and manuscripts. He was trying to learn all he could about the nature of Horcruxes before moving onto Voldemort's involvement with them.

It was disheartening work. Not only was the script cramped and small and often in Old or Middle English, but it also went into great detail and violent description of the art of making one. He couldn't imagine being that desperate to avoid death, although he couldn't really imagine people like Greyback either…

And they certainly existed.

He suppressed a shudder as he stretched out his long limbs. Deciding that he could take a break for a few minutes, he stood and ambled into the kitchen to make some tea.

He wished, certainly not for the first time, that he could tell Tonks about his research. He knew she could help. She could almost always be counted on to find some new insight into what the Order was doing. And he would also gain the selfish benefit of her company. But it was not an option. He refused to betray Dumbledore's trust again.

These thoughts did lead him to consider the idea of inviting Tonks to his home. He hadn't brought a girl here since he had introduced his lone serious girlfriend to his parents shortly after graduating from Hogwarts. But he felt he could open himself up this much to Tonks. He trusted her and was coming to feel a stirring of emotion deep in his core that he hadn't in a very long time.

After two cups of tea, he resumed his reading. He wondered how Dumbledore had come across all this information. Horcruxes weren't even mentioned in the vast majority of even the most advanced catalogs of Dark magic. As far as he could tell, the first recorded one was created in 1066 by an anonymous Norman soldier who came to England with William the Conqueror. Of course, there were so few recorded successful soul splittings that the manuscripts were mostly speculation.

His laborious pondering and note taking continued for the rest of the afternoon and all through the next day.

----

Tonks stood up from her desk and ambled toward the MLE break room. Normally she went for tea, but she decided the day really demanded some coffee. She had hours of paperwork backed up, and she was only about half done.

"Auror Tonks, I'm glad I caught you. May I have word, please?" Gawain Robards was suddenly standing next to her. He looked harried and sleep deprived.

"Sure." She followed him to his office as he strode ahead of her.

After putting an Imperturbable Charm on the door he said matter-of-factly, "The citizens are worried, as you know. Shops are closing, people are desperately trying to stockpile supplies, no one will go out after dark. There's a real danger of people panicking and losing their heads." Tonks felt the urge to point out that such panic might have been avoided if the Ministry had acknowledged Voldemort's return the previous year, but she knew it would be highly unwise in her situation.

"Anyway, we're sending a team up to Hogsmeade to protect it and the school. The Dementors have been breeding. No one's been hurt yet, as far as we know, but we want to instill a bit of confidence in the populace. You'll be going up there with Proudfoot, Savage, and Dawlish, who's in charge."

She had been expecting this, but she couldn't help herself from asking, "Is this an honor or an exile?"

Robards scowled. "You have some nerve, Tonks. You're lucky that aren't badgeless right now. I know you and Shacklebolt said that you were just leaving from working late on a joint report on that night in June in the Department of Mysteries. You heard noises and went to investigate, but I don't buy it." She'd always thought they had a rather weak alibi, but they hadn't had time to formulate something better. She reckoned that Dumbledore must have had something to with their not being sacked immediately. "You're going to Hogsmeade. And if I have any more trouble from you, we won't have any more use for you. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." She recognized dismissal when she heard it and left.

She had trouble focusing on her paperwork the rest of the afternoon. She finished it, though. Later she Apparated back to her flat and sank gratefully into the cushions of her egregiously tie-dyed sofa that she often whinged to Remus about but couldn't bear to get rid of.

She wished that he were here now. But he was always busy with his secret project for Dumbledore. She didn't begrudge him that; she thought it must be terribly important for Dumbledore to be so set on absolute secrecy. She was curious, but she had seen the look that had flashed on his face the one and only time that she had teased him about it. He wanted to tell her, but he couldn't.

She wanted to be as involved in his life as possible, but it wasn't in her nature to be needy or clingy. She was independent and an Auror. She wanted to be with him because she cared for him, or more than cared for him, not because she needed validation.

Besides, she would have to get used to seeing even less of him once she was transferred to Hogsmeade. She knew she had no choice, but she really didn't want to think about that right now. Dementors were bad enough, and she would also be away from the Ministry, unable to do any useful spying for the Order.

But she had to make the best of the situation and try to see the bright side, as she always strove to do.

-----

"Wotcher, Remus!" He turned away from the kettle that was just beginning to whistle.

"Good evening, Nymphadora."

"You don't have free rein to call me that just because you're my boyfriend now." Even though they had been dating for almost two months and it made him feel like an awkward adolescent, he still felt a little thrill when she called him her "boyfriend."

"But I called you Nymphadora before I was your boyfriend." He smirked at her, but she didn't reply with a zinging retort as he expected. Instead, she simply poured some water into one of the mugs that had been set out for the meeting.

He was a little mystified when she didn't look at him after she had steeped her tea and added cream and sugar. He wondered if he might actually have upset her somehow.

But she didn't seem to be paying him any attention. "I like meeting nights."

Although puzzled by her non sequitur, he decided to play along. "Why is that?"

She tilted her face up and smiled enticingly. "Well, I do love Moody's umpteenth lecture on constant vigilance." She took a sip of her tea and challenge glinted in her eyes.

"The smell of the smoke from Dung's pipe, and his breath, is always good."

"Can't forget Snape's ever so delightful suggestions that he's single-handedly winning the war."

"I don't think I can top that one." He agreed with her wholeheartedly that Snape's snide remarks were the surest way to annoy people.

"Mostly I'm just glad that I'm certain to see you." She flushed slightly and glanced up at him sheepishly. Then, she put her cup on the counter behind her and casually leaned against it.

He smiled; part of him still couldn't believe it when she made statements like that, but he wasn't about to argue with her. "The feeling's mutual." He moved toward her and cupped her face with his hands. As he kissed her, her arms wound around his neck. Her eager response led him to deepen the kiss. They didn't even hear the footsteps coming down the stairs or the soft swish of a cloak.

"Please, don't let me interrupt your _touching_ display," a voice sounded from behind them. They broke apart as if burned.

"Hello, Severus. I'm so glad you could make it to this meeting." Remus put ever the slightest emphasis on "this," recalling the previous meeting during which he had had to make a quick exit, presumably to answer a summons from Voldemort. He realized he probably shouldn't tweak Snape about his usefulness and commitment to the Order right now, but he couldn't resist.

"Yes, well, the Headmaster asked me to come early to discuss a private matter. I suppose I'll just have to wait here until he arrives." He sat at the head of the table, across from Dumbledore's usual place. Remus simply sighed inwardly at the man.

Tonks busied herself setting out more of the tea things, muttering under her breath, but she knocked her own mug flying in the process. Lukewarm tea spread across the floor while the cup broke neatly in two. Remus quickly Reparo'd and Summoned the mug before performing a _Scourgify _on the dark wood under their feet.

"Ah, I see that your inability not to break things has remained the same since your days in my Potions class, Nymphadora." Remus felt his ire rise as Tonks' face burned with mortification. He hated the way Snape drawled out every syllable of her name and somehow made it sound ugly. And his stomach also gave a sickening little lurch as he was reminded once again that, had circumstances been different, he could have been her _teacher_.

She recovered, however, and fixed Snape with a stare that Remus imagined she used when interrogating suspects. "I may be clumsy, Sev-er-us, but I am still an Auror. And I'm on _your _side."

He continued to sneer, but before he could say anything, Dumbledore entered with a flourish of blue star-spangled robes.

"Ah, Severus, I'm glad you're here. And good evening, Remus, Nymphadora." He turned to Snape again. "Will you please join me in the library?" He nodded and stood, casting one last scornful glance over his shoulder at them.

Tonks brightened immediately. "Well, I think he's the last person I would ever want to catch us snogging. Well, except for Mad-Eye, maybe."

"Oh, no. Given the choice between the two, I'd much rather Moody. He, at least, doesn't despise us. Although there is the chance that he would turn me into a ferret."

She laughed out loud. "There is not. Mad-Eye likes you, remember, because you never put your wand in your back pocket." He smiled fondly as they shared a memory of their first meeting the previous summer.

"Of course not. That wouldn't be practicing constant vigilance, now would it?" His grin was riddled with smugness, but he knew she could never resist his Marauder smirk. However, before she could lean in to kiss him, they heard Moody's distinctive clomping gait.

"Tonks. Lupin." He nodded. Remus felt supremely grateful that he seemed unaware of their earlier discussion. "Where is everybody? It doesn't do to start meetings late."

Tonks rolled her eyes. "They've still got fifteen minutes, Mad-Eye." Sure enough, everyone started to trickle in a few minutes later. Soon Dumbledore and Snape, who was positively smirking with a tinge of what appeared to be triumph, emerged from the library and the meeting could begin.

Order meetings had always been various lengths. There were the average handing-out-assignment meetings that could be as short as twenty minutes. There were the debriefing and reporting meetings that usually lasted about an hour. And then there were the truly epic ones. He, Sirius, James, and Peter had kept track of the longest meetings during the first war. Then, he and Sirius and Tonks had resumed the tradition the past year, even though Remus constantly chided himself for being too old for such things. The longest one clocked in at three hours and thirty-seven minutes.

This one looked to top them all.

He always tried to pay close attention, especially when Dumbledore or Mad-Eye spoke. But when their reports were interspersed with such detailed accounts as Hestia's tale of surveillance in Knockturn Alley, during which no Death Eaters showed up, that consisted of her observations about what shady characters were wearing these days, he had difficulty keeping his eyes open.

Just when the meeting was about to draw to a close, Moody asked a question that had been playing in Remus' subconscious for weeks. "So, Albus, have you found a new Defense teacher yet? The kids sorely need one after all the useless Ministry rot Umbridge fed them last year." He didn't want to admit it, but he had almost hoped…No, it was foolish. No parent wanted his child to be taught by a _Dark Creature_, and Dumbledore had much more important things to do than fight for him. Besides, he already had a job to do.

"In fact, I have. Severus has been gracious enough to accept the post." That explained his expression earlier. Bitter disappointment, though unfounded, curled and fell asleep in his stomach. Meanwhile, both of Moody's eyes regarded Snape steadily until he gave a huff that could have indicated approval or disapproval.

"Yes, thank you, Headmaster." His habitual sneer widened. "I'm honored. I only hope to undo some of the damage that past professors have inflicted." Remus was certain that he was not imagining Snape staring straight at him.

After that, no one had any other business and the meeting everyone had gone, Tonks mumbled, "Bloody Snape. I can't believe Dumbledore gave him the DADA job."

Remus had to admit that that had rankled. Even if he couldn't do it, there had to be _someone _else. "He knows a lot about the Dark Arts; he is qualified."

"Aren't you a _little_ annoyed?" She regarded him speculatively.

"Yes, I suppose I am. But Dumbledore made his decision. I'm sure he had his reasons."

"I guess." She didn't seem convinced, but Remus had no desire to dwell on the subject any longer. Instead, he kissed her. She made a surprised squeak before kissing him back in earnest.

She pulled away after only a few minutes. "Oh, I have to tell you something. I'm going to be stationed in Hogsmeade once the term starts. There are four of us and Dawlish is in charge." Her features twisted in distaste.

He didn't know what to say about that. He would miss the occasional free nights they both had, which they had begun to spend ensconced on the settee in her flat. They already hadn't seen as much of each as the previous year. She looked as if the same thoughts were going through her head. "At least you'll be close to the school if anything happens."

"I'll also be away from the action at the Ministry. I know Kingsley's still there, but two heads are better than one. And I'll probably have to miss most of the meetings from now on, depending on my patrol schedule."

Remus reached out and took one of her hands in both of his. "Everyone will miss you. _I_ will miss you. But the Order is nothing if not good at muddling through situations that aren't ideal."

"That's true." Sighing, she leant against him as they wrapped their arms around each other. They stood quietly for several moments. Tonks yawned impressively. "I should probably head toward home." She peeked at her watch and groaned. "I have to be at work in about six hours. Bloody meeting!"

"Indeed." They walked arm in arm up to the front door and outside. He kissed her once more in the nearby alley that served as their Apparition point. Then, two consecutive cracks broke the silence of the night as they went to their homes.

A/N: I looked up Horcruxes on the HP Lexicon and I didn't find that much. I completely made up the stuff about the first created one. Anyone who is kind enough to leave a review for this installment gets to get caught kissing any HP character of their choice.


	6. Past and Present

Remus entered the dingy Hog's Head on a night that was decidedly cool for August 31; it felt more like October 31. He looked around, not seeing Tonks. He thought about just sitting at the bar, but two men were eyeing him warily; he settled at a corner table to wait for her. She was meeting him after she unpacked some of her belongings in the room at the Three Broomsticks in which she would be spending the next months.

He was thankful for a seat. He hated Apparating the day or two before a full moon. But it was probably the last evening they would be able to spend together for a fair while. Ridiculously, he missed her already.

Some minutes later, the door opened with a clang. Tonks strode in and her gaze swept the room; he raised a hand to get her attention. She made her way to him, only stumbling once around the chair legs as she sat.

"Wotcher."

"Hello." Her hair was done in a dark blue bob, as opposed to her usual pink. She looked tired and unsettled. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, but I'm looking forward to the holidays already, and I haven't even started." He clasped her hand across the table.

Grinning, he said, "Aberforth's fish and chips will cheer you up." She arched a brow skeptically. "I mean it. I wouldn't recommend anything else on the menu, but the fish and chips are delicious."

"You said that when you suggested we eat here for my going away supper, but I'm not sure I believe you." He was serious about the fish and chips, but he also chose the location for its reputation. Tonks wasn't as likely to be embarrassed for being seen with him here.

He was going to offer to go up to the bar to make their orders, but Tonks insisted that she do it. He was grateful for her consideration. However, he heartily wished that it wasn't necessary.

Tonks sat at the bar while she waited for Aberforth to come out with their food. She smiled at him across the pub and gave a little wave. He returned the gesture but was stopped in his tracks as the same men at the bar glanced suspiciously back and forth between him and her. He was determined to ignore them and hoped they would just ignore her.

Awhile later she walked back toward their table, levitating the food in front of her instead of risking dropping it. "Very resourceful."

"What's the point of magic if you don't use it?" They set to their food with gusto. Remus was glad that he had taken his Wolfsbane earlier in the day. He couldn't imagine gulping it down in a room full of people. The smell alone would drive everyone away. He chided himself; at least he could afford Wolfsbane now.

They chatted intermittently between mouthfuls. They talked of what her daily schedule would be like, who she would be partnered with, and how often she would have free time. He felt selfish for asking about the last point, but it would probably be unwise to visit her at the Three Broomsticks.

Then, part way through supper he stood to use the loo.

As Remus was coming back, he saw the two rather grizzled older men from the bar talking to Tonks, who was blushing furiously. He didn't know what they were saying, but he had a sneaking suspicion. As he approached their table, the men looked up, giving him decidedly nasty looks before slinking away. She suddenly seemed to find her half-finished plate of fish and chips fascinating.

He felt color rise into his own cheeks, but he was at a loss as to how to break the uncomfortable silence that had descended on them. "Erm…good fish?"

She looked up but focused her eyes somewhere over his shoulder. "Yeah. You were right that Aberforth can make something edible." They both chuckled in a very forced manner, but it did alleviate some of the tension. They then picked at their meals for several more minutes. "I'm done. Are you ready to go?"

"If you'd like." They stood to leave, pointedly ignoring the continued stares of the two men.

When they reached High Street, he lightly touched Tonks' arm, indicating that she should stop. "Nymphadora, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but what were those men saying to you?" Part of him hoped she wouldn't answer, but he had to know.

Her cheeks outshone her hair. "Are you sure you want me to tell you?" He nodded resolutely, clenching his jaw slightly. "They asked if you were bothering me, if I knew you were a werewolf."

"Ah, I thought that might be the case. I'm sorry you were embarrassed that way."

She looked him in the eye for the first time since he returned. "I wasn't embarrassed. I was angry, livid, _outraged_! It was none of their business." That was not the reply he was expecting. But her eyes flashed dangerously; he didn't dare contradict her.

Suddenly, he saw the last person he wanted to see tonight of all nights. She stopped and approached slowly and deliberately. "Hello, Remus."

"Good evening, Serafina. How are you?" He hoped she would go away quickly, sparing him further humiliation. In fact, he wondered why she was approaching him at all.

"I'm…well. And you?"

"The same. This is N-" She cut across him with a glare. "Tonks. Tonks, this is Serafina Russell. We went to school together." They exchanged greetings, and he was gratified to detect the slightest hint of jealousy from Tonks.

"Actually, it's Reynolds now. I got married seven years ago. And I have two children."

"Congratulations." He had finally reached the point when he could say that sincerely, if not very enthusiastically.

"And I'm glad I ran into you, Remus. I've always wanted to apologize to you for the way I acted. I should have known that you were nothing like the _others_." Her subtle emphasis on the last word showed him exactly what others she meant. "I felt so bad when you had to resign from Hogwarts and when the _Prophet_ used you last year to criticize Dumbledore. Anyway, I am truly sorry."

He had never expected that, but he had forgiven her long ago. He then noticed that Tonks was watching them with unabashed interest; he would no doubt be bombarded with questions once Serafina left. "Apology accepted. I really appreciate it."

She beamed. "Thank you. Well, I'd like to catch up a little, but I really have to get home. It was good to see you again. And nice to meet you, Tonks."

"Same here." Then, Serafina continued on her way. "So, care to share?" She grinned up at him expectantly.

"Not in the middle of High Street."

"Well, you could come back to my flat for a while. I have cocoa."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you trying to bribe me?"

"I don't know. Is it working?" Her expression was so captivating that no bribery was necessary, but he paused in mock thought.

"Hmm. I'm not sure that's quite enough of an enticement."

"I have marshmallows for it."

He made a show of great reluctance. "Well, in that case, I suppose I'll come over." A few moments later they Apparated and were in her lounge. He had been in Tonks' flat a fair number of times, both before and after they started dating. He still found it just as endearing and undeniably _her_. The kitchen was a cheerful sunshine yellow while the small sitting area, oddly enough, was white to set off all her eccentric accessories.

"Make yourself at home." She waved him to sit on her tie-dyed settee. He laughed inwardly as he recalled the countless times she complained about the colors, which were an experiment from when she first rented the flat when she started Auror training. But she kept it the same as a reminder of youthful enthusiasm and the importance of not making overly rash decisions.

She peeked her head over the half wall separating the kitchen area from the lounge. He noticed that she had changed her hair back to spikes, though keeping the midnight blue color. "Are you sure you want cocoa? It's still rather warm. I have butterbeers."

He pouted at her. "Oh, all right. But you owe me a raincheck." Apparently, that was the right thing to say because she smiled widely.

"I think I can make that sacrifice." She brought two bottles and sat next to him. "All right, spill."

He couldn't help himself. "Are you sure? I'd hate to stain your lovely couch."

She looked deeply confused for a moment, but then she scowled and folded her arms across her chest. "You git!" She shoved him playfully for good measure. "You know what I meant." He smirked.

"You should be more specific next time." She tried valiantly to maintain an angry expression, but she eventually gave into a laugh. When her giggles subsided, she looked at him hopefully. "All right. I'll tell you about her. She was my girlfriend a long time ago. I expect to hear about some of your old boyfriends in return."

She made a face. "My romantic history isn't that extensive, probably not as extensive as yours." He felt a twinge at another reminder of the differences in their ages, but he knew she didn't mean it that way.

"I would imagine that almost anybody's romantic history looks extensive next to mine." He sighed inwardly. He hadn't meant to sound bitter. Even if he had never been bitten, he thought that he still wouldn't have a long list of exes.

"First of all, I'd like to say that, although it may seem pathetic, I didn't really have a girlfriend until the end of seventh year. There were girls that I talked to, that I considered my friends. But I wasn't interested in them romantically. One of them was a Ravenclaw and her name was Sophia Peabody. We had Transfiguration together and would sometimes help each other with our homework. We kissed each other when we were fourteen because we thought we were the only ones who hadn't done that yet. As you might imagine, it was terribly awkward. We mutually decided that we were better off as friends." He was slightly surprised at himself that he mentioned something that he hadn't spoken of to any one in years, but he had always felt so comfortable with Tonks that it was natural.

She was smiling. "That's sweet. I can just see you blushing and tugging at the hair at the nape of your neck."

He ducked his head and shrugged. "You have it about right. We couldn't look at each other for the next few days, but then things returned to normal. We had a lot in common, but there was no spark at all. The last I heard she was studying Herbology somewhere in South America."

"Eventually, seventh year arrived. Sirius and James were always on my case for not having had a proper girlfriend; even Peter had had a few. Then, I started talking to Serafina; she was a fellow Gryffindor. We had never really been friends until the beginning of that year, but we became close relatively quickly. We officially started dating in March, on my birthday actually."

She smirked. "I bet that was a good coming of age gift."

"Certainly." He smiled. It really had been a heady and wonderful time. However, sitting on the sofa with Tonks, sharing stories about his life, he was glad his dream at the time had not come true. "We continued dating after Hogwarts. By 1980 we were talking about moving in together. I even bought a ring, but there was a snag. I had never told her that I was a werewolf. I felt guilty, of course, and I tried to tell her countless times, but the words never came out. Sirius and James helped me come up with cover stories for full moon nights." He hung his head; part of him was still deeply ashamed of how he had treated her.

Tonks put her hand over his sympathetically. "What happened next?"

"Well, my conscience wouldn't let me actually propose until I told her. But, when I did, she was rather mad with fury. She told me that she never would have stayed with me if she'd known. She said I proved that _my kind _couldn't be trusted. She told me she was appalled that she had ever considered wanting to have a family and to grow old with me. It wasn't that I didn't deserve some of that abuse, but it hurt for a long time. Tonight was the first time I'd actually seen her since then."

He waited anxiously for her reaction to his deceit. "It was good of her to apologize." Her eyes held no scorn as she looked at him steadily.

"Don't you think that she had a right to be angry? I should have told her long before."

She pursed her lips. "Probably. A little. But it didn't give her the right to say all those horrible things about you. I can't imagine that I would have handled the situation differently from the way you did. No one wants to be judged based on _what_ they are." He knew the last point applied to her as well.

"I suppose not. And I haven't really had a serious girlfriend since then. I thought it would save any woman I became involved with and me a lot of pain. I decided it was best to be alone." He reproached himself for more bitterness. He thought the source of his openness must be Tonks, her ability to make him completely comfortable.

"I'm so sorry, Remus. I had no idea. I didn't mean for you to be really uncomfortable by asking about Serafina."

"It's perfectly all right. It was a long time ago. I should count myself lucky for not having experienced more trauma." He grinned sincerely to show he really was all right. She smiled weakly, recognizing that he was trying to lighten the mood. "Your turn."

"Well, I guess my list is actually a tiny bit more extensive than yours. You're only my third serious boyfriend." Color rose in her cheeks.

Remus found himself slightly taken aback. He knew from other stories that she had shared with him that she hadn't dated much, but he also hadn't realized that the number was quite that low. But that last thing he wanted her to feel was embarrassment about her romantic past, especially compared with his. It was his responsibility to soothe her.

"Well, they do say the third time's the charm. Maybe I'll be lucky for you." He had his doubts about the veracity of that statement, and worried he might be erring on the side of cheesiness. But she seemed very pleased.

She beamed and leaned forward slightly to kiss him. When they pulled apart, he said, "Now, don't try and distract me."

"It was worth a try." She took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing. I also didn't have a boyfriend until my seventh year. I had a few chances before, but most of them only seemed interested in the morphing thing. Plus, they didn't want to hang around me when they could be injured from my blasted clumsiness or listen to me put my foot in my mouth all the time."

"Adolescent males can be such berks." He took one her hands in both of his trying to make the telling of her story easier, as she had done for him.

She grinned, just slightly. "Agreed. Some of them don't turn out so bad, though." Her smile widened, and he squeezed her hand in thanks. "Anyway, my first boyfriend was a fellow Hufflepuff named Andrew Brown. He was the son of a friend of my mother's, and I was loath to admit when we started dating. He was nice and everything, but our relationship only made it through half of my first year of Auror training. He had joined the Healer training program. We were both too busy to spend time together, and we started having stupid rows practically every time we saw each other. It was probably mostly my fault, always putting my foot in it and saying daft things." She sighed and shook her head.

"It takes two to quarrel."

"Yeah. I suppose so. My second boyfriend was actually a Muggle." Remus was surprised to say the least. "We met at a club. I can identify with you. I couldn't tell him until I was sure he might be fine with my being a witch. My lies and half-truths put a lot of strain on our relationship, so he broke up with me before I could tell him. But that's all in the past now."

He was glad they seemed to be of the same mind, for he was far more interested in the present. He made this clear by pressing his lips eagerly to hers. She returned his affection. Somehow their bodies shifted, so that he was lying on his back with Tonks on top of him. He ran his fingers along her spine and then up to caress her neck and jaw. She shivered against him and threaded her fingers into his hair.

They continued in that vein for some minutes, but then they gradually sat up together and pulled slightly apart. She was flushed and her spiked hair was even more tousled than usual. Remus imagined that he looked similar, without the blue hair, of course.

"Oh," she whispered.

"My thoughts exactly." They remained in comfortable silence for several more minutes until he realized that it was getting quite late. And Tonks needed to leave for Hogsmeade early the next morning. "Well, I should probably go."

"Yeah, I guess so." She stood first and stretched while holding in a yawn. "Dawlish wants us to be at King's Cross at seven." He followed her to her door. She reached up and drew his face down to hers for a last thorough kiss. "Thanks for tonight. It's been fun."

"My pleasure." They smiled at each other. He was certain that his had a dazed quality. Even after more than two months of being a couple and a year of friendship before that, he still couldn't quite believe that Nymphadora Tonks wanted to be with him. As usual, he pushed such thoughts aside. Having spent too much time being alone, Remus would revel in her company as long as she wanted him. "Good night, and good luck tomorrow."

"Thanks. I'll see you soon." As he closed the door behind him, he could have sworn that he also heard her say, "And I hope you're my lucky charm for a long time."

A/N: The review bribe for this chapter is that an HP character of your choice will tell you about their romantic histories (if you want to know, that is).


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